3rd Royal Fusiliers(City of London Regiment).

[MH331]

These 3rd Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt) brass and cloth S/T I acquired from ebay last W/E and although somewhat worn I am very pleased.

Mark

P.S any tips on removing Verdigris?

[orasot]

Nice set Mark, looks very good. Try a cocktail stick with white vinegar & a lot of patience ! It will get it of without scratching the brass, good luck,
Wilf.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by mark holden

These 3rd Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt) brass and cloth S/T I acquired from ebay last W/E and although somewhat worn I am very pleased.

Mark

P.S any tips on removing Verdigris?

Great acquisition Mark, but I think it's 3rd London Regt (City of London - Royal Fusiliers)?

[Sonofacqms]

Was the G/M T/3 which was worn separately missing, I believe the earlier versions were one-piece, but changed to two piece later.

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Great acquisition Mark, but I think it's 3rd London Regt (City of London - Royal Fusiliers)?

Toby,

Or is it: 3rd City of London Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)???

Lon Regt Memorial - City of London.jpg

[TRT]

I saw these and liked. If I had not just bought two CEF badges and been successful at Bosleys I think we would have had a bidding battle. Well done and at a good price too!!

TRT

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Peter J

Toby,

Or is it: 3rd City of London Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)???

Attachment 41593

To be precise: 3rd City of London Battalion, County of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) (Territorial Force)

Drill Hall: 21 Edward Street, Hampstead Road NW1 (lost in Blitz – now Varndell Street NW1)

The Haldane Reforms of 1908 included the creation of the Territorial Force
in 1908. In London there was a need to absorb the mixture of volunteer and
militia units that had existed in Greater London since the mid-19th
century. They were renamed as battalions of The County of London Regiment, placed under War Office control and usually affiliated to a regular
regiment. In the new County of London (that is defined by the creation of
the London County Council at the turn of the century) there were a number
of regiments which became the 28 numbered battalions of County of London
Regiment. Many of the battalions were designated rifle battalions having
their origins in the Rifle Volunteer Corps. Some additional battalions
were added in the later months of WWI.

The first nine battalions of the regiment were properly referred to as City
of London Battalions since they had their origins within the ancient City
of London (the "square mile").

The County of London Regiment ceased to exist in 1937 in that it was removed from the Army List, although it had in any case already resumed its pre 1908 affiliations in July 1916.

Brilliant stuff, mate.

The 26th and 27th (designated) Battalions' stories I know about (Inns of Court and HAC), but can you shed any light on who constituted the following battalions?:

29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd?

Regards,

Peter.

[MH331]

Thanks for the info Toby

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by mark holden

Thanks for the info Toby

My pleasure. In 1912 the 3rd Londons took over the old Paddington Rifles Drill Hall at 208-209 Harrow Road (later used by Cadet Battalion (ACF) of RF too), it has since been demolished (1965) and is now the local health centre.

[Alan O]

Originally Posted by Peter J

Toby,

Brilliant stuff, mate.

The 26th and 27th (designated) Battalions' stories I know about (Inns of Court and HAC), but can you shed any light on who constituted the following battalions?:

29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd?

Regards,

Peter.

These were raised in WW1 as Service Bns for the duration of the war. They wore the KRRC and RB badges.

Alan

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Peter J

Toby,

Brilliant stuff, mate.

The 26th and 27th (designated) Battalions' stories I know about (Inns of Court and HAC), but can you shed any light on who constituted the following battalions?:

29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd?

Regards,

Peter.

The battalions you quote were formed in the summer of 1915 from Home Service (only) personnel of the Territorial Force (that is men who joined the TF either before the war or upon its outbreak, but who did not volunteer to serve overseas). Because of the then rules of the TF this protected them from being sent overseas to fight until 1916 and the introduction of conscription, at which point their Home Service 'category' became irrelevant. Ergo the Provisional Battalions of the London Regt contained its Home Service (only) personnel. There were also men of low medical grade in the Provisional Battalions and if still not fit for overseas these men remained in some Provisional (later retitled as 'Mixed') Brigades that were retained for coastal defence until general demobilization in 1918-19.

29th (City of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Guildford from the 100th Provisional Bn on 01 Jan 1917 in the 212th Brigade, 71st Division. Division remained in Great Britain on Home Defence Duties. The break up of the Division started in January 1918, and all the units had been transferred, drafted or disbanded by end July 1919.

30th (City of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Guildford from the 101st Provisional Bn on 01 Jan 1917 in the 212th Brigade, 71st Division. Ditto above.

31st (County of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Frinton from the 107th Provisional Bn on 01 Jan 1917 in the 226th Brigade. 07 Sep 1917 Disbanded.

32nd (County of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Frinton from the 108th Provisional Bn on 01 Jan 1917 in the 226th Brigade. 13 Apr 1918 Disbanded.

33rd (City of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Clacton from the Cadre of the 7th Rifle Brigade in Jun 1918 in the 41st Brigade, 14th Division.

34th (County of London) Bn. Territorial Force. Formed at Clacton from the Cadre of the 7th King’s Royal Rifle Corps in Jun 1918 in the 49th Brigade, 16th Division.

Of these battalions only the 33rd and 34th went to France and I am unclear what cap badges they wore, as they were not second, or third line units of the existing 28 pre-war regiments.

On 07.07.1916 The London Regt 'effectively' ceased to exist (although officers continued to be shown in Army List under The London Regt until 1938) as battalions resumed their pre-1908 regular affiliations without change of titles (with exceptions of 5th Bn transferred to Rifle Brigade, 7th Bn and 13th Bn transferred to Middlesex Regt, and 14th Bn transferred to Gordon Highlanders).

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Peter J

Toby,

Brilliant stuff, mate.

The 26th and 27th (designated) Battalions' stories I know about (Inns of Court and HAC), but can you shed any light on who constituted the following battalions?:

29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd?

Regards,

Peter.

Further information found, Peter, regarding the cap badges worn by these 'extra' battalions of the London Regiment, the 29th, 30th and 33rd were all badged as RF:

THE 29TH.[CITY OF LONDON]BATTALION THE LONDON REGIMENT [RF] TF
1916 January 1st. Raised as 100th. and 102nd.Provisional Battalions TF
1917 January 1st. Designated 29th.Battalion The London Regiment [RF]TF
1919 July 14th. DISBANDED and personnel drafted

THE 30TH.[CITY OF LONDON]BATTALION THE LONDON REGIMENT [RF] TF
1916 January 1st. Raised as 101st.Provisional Battalions TF
1917 January 1st. Designated 30th.Battalion The London Regiment [RF]TF
1919 April 5th. DISBANDED and personnel drafted

THE 33RD.[CITY OF LONDON]BATTALION THE LONDON REGIMENT [RF] TF
1918 June 1st. Raised at Clacton as part of The Corps of Royal Fusiliers
1918 June 18th. Absorbed a Cadre of 7th.Battn.The Rifle Brigade
1918 June 19th. Transferred to Corps of The Rifle Brigade

N.B. This explains why no 'new' badges for these extra battalions of the London Regt and it follows that the 31st, 32nd and 34th probably wore the Paschal Lamb of the Queen's battalions, as this was the only other generic cap badge other than the RF in the London Regt (tbc).

[Alan O]

These are London Regt Provisional Bns and the higher numbers wore the RB and the KRRC badges.

I have seen pictures of gravestones of Bn men showing the KRRC and RB badges. I will have to look up my notes but I think it was the 29th and 30th who wore RF, 34th the KRRC and the remainder the RB.

For reference these are the RF Bns in WW1. http://www.1914-1918.net/royalfus.htm

These are the London regts. http://www.1914-1918.net/london.htm

[Fatherofthree]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

tbc but would fit with Guildford and Frinton locations, all of which in Surrey!).

Hi Toby, fantastic information, however, Frinton is in Essex, which unfortunately, doesn't fit with the theory for the Queens's badge.

Regards

Brian